Dennis Trillo (left) and Jerald Napoles (right) together with Cebuano filmmaker Kerwin Go (center) at SM Seaside City Cebu to promote the movie, “Mina-Anud.”| Michelle Joy Padayhag
CEBU CITY, Philippines — “The movie is not a political statement.”
This was the clarification of Cebuano filmmaker Kerwin Go on his debut movie, “Mina-Anud.”
Go said that the movie was not in any way an attack on the government and its war on drugs.
Go together with “Mina-Anud” lead stars Dennis Trillo and Jerald Napoles were in SM Seaside City Cebu for the film’s sneak preview on Thursday, August 8.
“There is nothing to do (with the government), and we are not endorsing or condoning drugs in this movie,” he said.
The film talks about three tons of cocaine that were washed up on the shores of a peaceful community in Mina-anod Island, Eastern Samar.
The movie is based on a real-life story in Mina-anod Island in 2009.
Go decided to choose “Mina-Anud” as his debut film because the story was different.
“As a filmmaker, they say you have to do or write stories that are unique and qualified to tell like this one,” he said.
But he also clarified that characters, including those from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA, are fictional.
The film, he added, was mainly meant to entertain the audience, share some lessons – including not to keep wanting more, appreciate what you have, and live in the moment.
Leading the film are Kapuso stars Dennis Trillo and Jerald Napoles who portray close friends Ding and Carlo, respectively.
It is refreshing and a new experience for Trillo to portray Ding in “Mina-Anud” especially that the genre is crime comedy.
Trillo, who is called as Kapuso Drama King in GMA Network, is known for his drama films like “One Great Love” and “You’re Still the One.”
“I feel good at sobrang proud ako kasi napasali ako sa ganitong klase na movie,” he said.
(I feel good and I am proud to be part of the project.)
For Napoles, he already heard about the story of Mina-Anod Island from Go, and he found it interesting.
Napoles admitted that he was excited when he was asked to play Carlo since he loved surfing and described himself as a beach bum.
The Kapuso comedian still had to undergo training. In the movie, he is portrayed as the second best surfer in Samar.
“Shortboard (surfing) is different from longboard which I use in surfing. It requires more agility,” he added.
Completing the “Mina-Anud” cast are Matteo Guidicelli, Dione Monsanto, Mara Lopez, Anthony Falcon, Alvin Anson, Lou Veloso, Richard Manabat, and Marc Felix.
Mina-Anud is co-produced by award-winning Cebuana producer Bianca Balbuena-Liew and husband Bradley Liew of Epicmedia together with Regal Entertainment.
The film is written by Go and Stephen Lopez, which will hit Philippine Cinemas on August 21, 2019./dbs
